


to shave the mage

by Meiilan



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: M/M, Shaving, Side-characters: male Hawke and Tallis, secret pining, well not so secret actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 20:04:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11043351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meiilan/pseuds/Meiilan
Summary: When Hawke decides to take Anders and Sebastian along to Chateau Heine, Tallis does not approve. Sebastian was not a problem. He would fit in just fine, but Anders was in desperate need of some proper grooming. Thank the Maker, Sebastian was always eager to help.





	to shave the mage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Green Sphynx (Green_Spynx)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Green+Sphynx+%28Green_Spynx%29).



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"This won't do! He looks, like he just crawled out of a sewer!"

"Well screw you too, Tallis!"

"She's right, though, Anders. Nobody will believe ye are supposed to join Hawke in this noble gatherin', if ye look, like ye just returned hungover from three nights of rough-housing in the Hanged Man."

Well, this was a lot less insulting comparison, but Anders still took to being offended.

"Shouldn't have taken me along then! We can't all afford the luxury of scented baths and fresh clothes every day!"

Hawke in the background made a sheepish remark of wanting to have the healer along, in case something went wrong, but Tallis only shook her head.

"They won't even let him in, looking like that!"

Anders was just about to shoot something back, but got interrupted by Sebastian speaking yet again.

"There's no point in arguein' that now. We're already halfway to Chateau Haine. Turnin' around wil lonly delay us unreasonably. Hawke can buy some fresh clothes for Anders in the next village we pass and with a little groomin' he'd look just the right kind of scruffy to pass as a hired hunter."

Anders choose to glare at Sthe archer now, just when Tallis piped in again, completely uneccessarily: "He could use a proper shave."

At which Anders only rolled his eyes.

"Well so sorry, I didn't think to bring my shaving kit!", he barked, already thoroughly annoyed by all this fuss.

"Me neither", supplied Hawke, trying to return the attention to himself again.

"That won't be needed", Sebastian suddenly said, thoughtfully, gently taking Anders' chin in his hand to lift his face a little higher, so he could examine it just this bit more closer. In his mind Anders insisted that flush, he felt creeping up his cheeks was entirely due to his annoyance and not... _something else_.

"I will shave him", Sebastian finally announced, to everyone's collective surprise. Looking about hismelf, he quickly gestured down a path, that led to a little stream happily bubbling about.

"Let's rest there, while we go about eet. Does anyone have some soap at least?"

Sebastian was already walking down the path, before Anders even formulated a proper protest, their fearless leader close on his heals, looking rather dumbfounded at how easily the usually rather docile brother had taken command now.

"I do!", answered Tallis, proudly producing a rather used bar of simple soap.

"In my profession it's best to always travel with some simple cleaning supplies. You never know when-"

"Aye. Thank ye. That will suffice."

Anders couldn't hide the satisfied smirk, as Sebastian cut her of so brusquely. The archer had made no secret of how little he tolerated the presence of their temporary companion. And in the mage's opinion it was really no wonder, seeing how she was so obviously leading them all on. This whole situation couldn't have smelled any more of 'trap', if she had asked them to come unarmed. They were really only just following along, because Hawke obviously got a weak spot for her and was all too eager, to help.

"Anders, will ye sit down here please?", the archer ordered more than asked, patting a patch of grass right besides him by the stream. Much to his own chagrin, Anders found himself complying even before he realized it. To still show his annoyance with being ordered around so dismissively, he dropped himself to the ground with a huff, before watching Sebastian going about his business. The rogue had quickly made a make-shift shaving brush out of arrow-feathers and was already foaming up the soap in a wooden bowl. Placing the bowl in his lap, he turned to face Anders, while patting along his utility-belt, probably in search for a shaving knife. The knife he did pull out eventually, however, caused Anders' blood to chill. Eyeing the large dagger, laying threatening in Sebastian's firm grip, the mage couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Sebastian?"

"Hush! I got ye", Sebastian murmured in his best soothing brother voice, sounding more like he tried to comfort a worried widow in the confessional, than a spooked apostate about to get shanked. But despite himself, Anders found himself visibly relax to that voice and when the archer gripped his chin again, to gently coerce his head into the right position, he followed the lead without any notable resistance. The following seconds were filled with busy silence, as Sebastian lathered Anders jaw generously in foam, while the mage kept watching him cautiously. Once the foam was applied, the archer reached for his dagger again and Anders tensed almost instantly. Again, it was Sebastian's soothing voice, that helped him relax.

"Easy Anders. Yers isnae the first chin I shaved like that."

A gently guiding finger just underneath Anders' chin, was all Sebastian needed to turn the mage's head this way and that way, as he went about his business. At first Anders was still nervous, but soon he found himself too distracted by this whole situation. Sebastian's eyes were trained entirely on the mage, working in silent concentration. Only once did Hawke, try to make a remark, but got cut off rather sharply, by a dismissive sound from the archer. The message was clear. This here was important. He could not afford to let his attention be distracted from Anders by just a fraction. The mage felt a confusing mix of emotions at being suddenly the sole center of Sebastian's world. He had seen the archer train his entire lethal concentration on the goon at the other end of his arrows. He had seen his head bowed in absolute devotion, as he spoke his prayers of gratitude, after another battle they only barely survived. but never had he seen this man so fully focused on himself, as if nothing else in the world mattered to him, but the clean line of Anders' jaw. And he began to wonder, how it would be, to always be in the center of Sebastian's attention, to have the archer pamper him in this gentle kind of devotion, to have him dominate him with this matter-of-factly kind of authority, that did not leave room for protest, but not once felt forced, or overbearing. When Anders noticed, what course his thoughts were taking, he felt another blush burn on his face. Suddenly feeling bashful under the unwavering stare of those bright blue eyes, he instinctively tried to turn his head away, for a moment forgetting about the lethally sharp tool gliding along his skin. The effect was almost comical, as Sebastian's eyes widened instantly in surprise, the hand holding the dagger, twitching back as if burned. But it was too late. Foolish, as his behavior had been, Anders had managed to nick himself on the sharp blade, yelping in surprised pain.

"Maker, Anders!", the archer exclaimed, worry lacing his voice, as he gripped the mages chin more firmly to turn him the other way, so he could examine the wound.

"Don't _do_ that!", he scolded softly, carefully wiping the soap from around the seeping cut.

"I could've gotten yer ear!"

Sighing guiltily Anders shoved feebly at the archer's worried hands. "You're faster than me. I highly doubt that. Here let me just..."

Pressing two fingers just underneath the cut, the mage let his healing magic take quick care of the mess, he had made.

"There", he announced more gruffly, than he intended, "Are we done yet."

Instantly taking hold of Anders' chin again and pulling him back into his line of sight, Sebastian replied: "Not yet. Please hold still now."

The following minutes Anders tried to focus on the feeling of the blade scraping along his stubbly chin, to keep his thoughts from wandering again. Not that this was making things any better. Whenever Sebastian had shaved a patch of skin clean, he brushed along it with the calloused tips of his fingers, to feel for any remaining stubble, he might have missed. The gentle touch feeling far too intimate to not make the mage melt into it a little, every time. His mind treacherously providing him with mental images of other, more private situations, in which he would like to enjoy this gentle caress. When Sebastian finally put down the dagger, Anders was all too eager to get up and escape this intimate moment between them, but the firm grip of strong archer's hands on his forearms held him in place.

"Not yet", he repeated in that same no-nonsense tone, he had used, when he decided to shave Anders in the first place. Asking - no _ordering_ Hawke to refill his bowl with clear water, Sebastian turned Anders' face one last time in various directions, to check the thoroughness of his work. When the bowl with water was being placed between them, Anders wanted to reach for it instantly, already dreading what would come next, but a firm, yet soft-spoken "sit still" in Sebastian's heavy brogue stopped him more effectively, than any stun-spell could have. Taking a deep breath, Anders sat back again despite everything inside him yelling at him to get away now, before he could embarrass himself.

As he had feared, Sebastian pulled off his fingerless gloves and reached into the bowl with both hands, only to cradle Anders' face in them next, once they were properly coated in water. Sliding along the sharp line of Anders' now clean shaven jaw, Sebastian paid the same focused attention to cleaning off the residue soap, that he had giving Anders the entire time and the mage found himself aching for more of that attention. _So much more_. Before he realized it, he had leaned into the touch, snuggling into Sebastian's palms like a needy kitten, demanding to be petted. When Sebastian stopped moving, surprised by this behavior, Anders' mind finally caught up to the situation. Blinking up at the archer, with dread coiling in his guts, he found those ridiculously blue eyes, looking down at him thoughtfully, almost calculating. Anders' first instinct was to flee, to pull away, before Sebastian could figure him out, but the archer's hands instantly tightened on his cheeks, holding him in place effectively. But instead of mocking Anders for his silliness, Sebastian's voice was gentle again, soothing the spooked apostate in his hands.

"Easy. I'm almost done."

Despite his words, Sebastian still took his sweet time cleaning up the mage's face. It almost seemed to Anders, as if the archer was purposefully dragging it out now, his gentle hands sliding along his cheeks again and again. Sometimes Anders even thought, he might have felt a hint of nails, scratching the underside of his chin, just like one would do to please a kitten. Eventually however all good things would have to come to an end and Anders could only barely swallow the meek sound of protest, as Sebastian finally lowered his hands, announcing that he was finished with his work. When Anders rose and turned back to the other two, who's presence he had almost completely forgotten by now, he heard Hawke whistle through his teeth, even before he saw Tallis nodding approvingly.

"That looks much better."

"You totally should shave more regularly, Anders! It suits you."

Scoffing dismissively, to hide how the compliment made his chest flutter pleasantly, Anders shot back: "Yes well, working in a free clinic day and night, doesn't leave much time for vain grooming."

"If it's so troublesome, I could come down and do the shavin' for ye. I dinna mind."

nders' head whipped back to the archer in surprise, unsure if Sebastian was even aware, of what he had offered. When he was met with that same, thoughtful, calculating gaze from earlier, he realized that 'yes' Sebastian knew _exactly_ what he was offering.

I'll think about it", he muttered, quickly avoiding those tantalizing, blue eyes. _Damned rogue!_


End file.
